Fifteen Minutes of Scrawl

I know I've done this before, but I'm just going to re-use it. Brownies. Diana and I made some and dear god were they good. Pesto. It's one of the foods I can eat a massive amount of. Mac and cheese. Another of my favorite foods. Lambs. I saw so many cute little ones frolicking in Connemara. Freshly cleaned sheets. I hate making my bed, but once it is made, it's heavenly. Ruins. I love seeing archaeological sites. Clear nights. Stars are stunning. Being read to. It's calming and makes me feel taken care of. Lakes. I like pretty much all bodies of water, but I guess I like lakes because I can often see all of them. Cracking my knuckles. Just feels good. Having freshly washed hair. A waft of my shampoo everywhere I go. Those sequin things where you can flip them over and make new colors. Oh so satisfying to play around with. Lilacs. They smell amazing. Netflix. Who doesn't? Instant messengers. It's how I keep in touch with most people these da...

 DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN EPISODE 3. Hey all, gonna keep doing these throughout the final season. Boy should they have used more fire. Like why did we stop catapulting fire? When the dead were climbing the walls, why didn't we pour oil on them and set it on fire? I guess all of the Dothraki we had are dead now? Are we just giving up on this group of people? We got off pretty easy on the deaths. Yeah a few named characters died, but it was pretty light all considered. Lyanna Mormont went out like a queen. Way to have the tiniest character take out one of the physically largest antagonists. I loved the last moment of Sansa and Tyrion, but I really did think one or both of them was going to die. Arya taking out the Night King was awesome. I did wonder if Melisandre helped her somehow as she seemed to give the prophecy to Arya that she would kill the Night King. Why did Melisandre just go die? Like I get she may have been killed by Davos, but like...I just don...

Everyone has got to have a list like this, but here are a some of the places I'd like to visit. Machu Picchu. I've wanted to go here since I was a kid. Grand Canyon. I've only seen pictures, but it's so beautiful. Giant's Causeway. Kimi and I are going to see this so this will be crossed off my list soon. Redwood National Park. Gorgeous and they filmed Star Wars  there. The Northern Lights. They look so otherworldly. Cahokia. A world heritage site in my own state and I haven't been. Florence. This city has been on my to-see lsit for a while. Taj Mahal. It looks so grand.  The Great Pyramids of Giza. Like many kids, I went through a fascination with Ancient Egypt. Alligators in the wild. They're my favorite animal and I'd love to see them in their natural habitat. The Great Wall of China. It stretches for thousands of miles and seems incredible. Easter Island. There is something about the statues that fascinate me. A coral reef. My fear of ...

As my time here draws to a close, here are some things that maybe I'll try to get to before I go. Killary Fjord Boat Tour. Just came back from seeing this fjord again and I saw a sign that there are boat tours. It's so beautiful, so this could be a great thing to do. Brigit's Garden. It looks beautiful. Pullman Restaurant at Glenlo Abbey. I hear it's cramped, but it would still be cool. Seaweed bath. Diana just mentioned it to me today, but I'm so intrigued. Menlo Castle. Been on my list for a while, but haven't made it out there. See a movie in a theater. I have two on the docket right now, so I think I'll get this one done. Buy a Claddagh ring. Yes, I've decided that I want one. Make it to Cork again. This is more for nostalgia than anything else. Kennys bookshop. I've only recently heard of it and I love me a bookstore. Bake. I would love to bake here before I go. Try some more kinds of tea. I'm trying to like tea, I swear. Do an...

For those who don't know, I'm at my fabulous friend Diana's house in Connemara and it's just glorious. Mountains! As a lifelong Chicagoan, I'm never going to be over mountains and this house is right on one. Sweet little lambs. There are a ton of new babies around and their wool is so bright and white despite the rain. Unconcerned sheep peppering the hills. I don't know how they are so calm when there is wind raging and rain covering you, but calm they are. They just keep grazing and only minding their lambs. Mist. Right now, the rain is calmer int he storm and so a light mist is cover the mountains a little farther away from the house. A glimpse of sun. A moment of sun is happening right now. It's fighting against the clouds and giving some really dramatic lighting throughout the valley or whatever you call the area we're in. Rushing clouds. The wind is moving the clouds like no other Maybe this will mean that the sun will win for a bit. A potl...

When I got a massage last week, the masseuse asked what scent of oil I'd like. This got me thinking about scents I like. Roses. This is definitely my favorite sense to wear. Lilac. I always stop and smell a lilac bush. Vanilla. This is the scent of baked goods to me. Freshly mowed lawn. I just feel like it's spring or summer when I smell this. Burning firewood. Reminds me of Girl Scouts and CPC. Strawberries. Only real ones, not fake strawberry scent (although that's okay I guess). The smell after it rains. It just feels so fresh to me. Watermelon. Again, only the real thing. This is my favorite fruit by far. The ocean. Maybe cause I'm not near it often. Macintosh apple. And I do mean the fruit, not the product. They're my favorite kind of apple. New books. I think they have a smell at least and I like it. Cucumber. They don't have a strong scent, but I think they smell clean in an odd way. Baking lasagna. Just feels homey. Garlic. Gets my mouth ...

In a dream world, I could learn how to do all of these things. How to sing. I think with some training I could be okay at it. How to dance. It'd be nice to be able to dance without feeling intensely self-conscious. How to design clothes. I could finally have dresses that I like and that fit in the fabric I want. What a dream. How to sew clothes well. I know a basic stitch, so I can mend my stuff but it'd be cool to make my own dresses. How to make cocktails. Other than a rum and coke, I don't think I can make a single one. How to do makeup. I got mascara down but that's it. How to do my hair. I have like one trick and that's it. How to do a back flip. I just think this would be cool. Some self-defense moves. I did two classes and enjoyed them, it would be good to do some more. How to raise one eyebrow. I think this is just a genetic thing, but I think it would be cool to be able to do. How to French braid. I know it in theory, but not in practice. How ...

Yeah don't read if you haven't seen the episode yet. I am 100% right about the bodies in the crypt rising. You know why? Cause, oh we just decided to keep everyone who isn't fighting in the crypt. What could go wrong? Oh and we conveniently left Sam down there too (although I'm a bit unclear, he said he wouldn't stay down there, but we saw him down there so maybe he's just visiting)? Oh, wait and Tyrion too? Yeah sure, let's leave some big name characters down there cause NOTHING is going to happen. And let's not forget the little girl we decided to quickly bond with in episode 2 (she's probably gonna die and Davos will have to face her wight). Also, if you've seen the trailer for episode 3? Dany says "The dead are already here." Yeah, yeah that could be referring to the army of the dead marching on Winterfell, but I think it's the moment of realization that the dead are already inside the walls. Anyways, I'm right. I'm ...

I swear I'll listen to them one day! Some of these I've started, but haven't finished. This Podcast Will Kill You . "Grad students studying disease ecology, Erin and Erin found themselves disenchanted with the insular world of academia. They wanted a way to share their love of epidemics and weird medical mysteries with the world, not just colleagues. Plus, who doesn't love an excuse to have a cocktail while chatting about pus and poop?" Shmanners . "Join husband Travis McElroy and wife Teresa McElroy every Friday and they'll improve your etiquette week by week! Perplexed by thank you notes? Baffled by black tie? Dismayed by dinner parties? Worry no more, Shmanners has your answers!" Still Buffering . "Join real-life sisters Sydnee McElroy (Sawbones), Teylor Smirl, and Rileigh Smirl as they help bridge the gap between the teenagers of yesterday and today. "How do you party?" "What do I do with all this hair?" Still Bu...

I'll get to these one day, I swear! Derry Girls . "The personal exploits of a 16-year-old girl and her family and friends during the Troubles in the early 1990s." Crazy Ex-Girlfriend . "A young woman abandons a choice job at a law firm and her life in New York in an attempt to find happiness in the unlikely locale of West Covina, California." Schitt's Creek . "When rich video-store magnate Johnny Rose and his family suddenly find themselves broke, they are forced to leave their pampered lives to regroup in Schitt's Creek." American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace . "Defining moments in Andrew Cunanan's life, starting in childhood, lead up to a 1997 murder spree that kills five, including fashion icon Gianni Versace." Strong Island . "When filmmaker Yance Ford investigates the 1992 murder of a young black man, it becomes an achingly personal journey since the victim, 24-year-old William Ford Jr., was th...

I'm definitely behind on my reading list, but here are just a few titles in my to-read pile. Some aren't out yet so I get a pass I think. Black Leopard, Red Wolf  by Marlon James. "In the stunning first novel in Marlon James's Dark Star trilogy, myth, fantasy, and history come together to explore what happens when a mercenary is hired to find a missing child." Stay Sexy & Don't Get Murdered: The Definitive How-To Guide  by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. "The highly anticipated first book by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, the voices behind the #1 hit podcast My Favorite Murder!" The Hidden Power of F*cking Up  by Keith Habersberger, Zach Kornfeld, Eugene Lee Yang, and Ned Fulmer. "The Try Guys deliver their first book—an inspirational self-improvement guide that teaches you that the path to success is littered with humiliating detours, embarrassing mistakes, and unexpected failures." Children of Virtue and Vengeance...

I've been a bit down lately, so I decided just to come up with a list of things I'm looking forward to, some are immediate, some are far off. My first drag show. Tonight I'm going with dear friends to my first drag show. I'm very excited for it and am watching this week's Drag Race  right now. My friend Kimisha visiting me. In just a few weeks, I'll get to see my dear friend Kimisha and it will be so good. Seeing my friend Diana's Connemara cottage. She posts photos all the time and I cannot wait to see it. Another escape the room. Hopefully some of us are doing it next week and we can escape again. The rest of the final season of Game of Thrones . I finally figured out a way to watch it here, so I'm pumped to see what happens. The rest of this season of Drag Race . I'm too invested now, I know. I like too many of the ones who are still there. The live taping of Why Won't You Date Me? with Brigid. Nicole Byer is a treat and a dream, so I...

So I have been watching the first season of SVU  and I have some thoughts. I swear to god everyone's voice is higher. Now maybe this is the quality or even somehow altered for this network, but dear lord is it weird. The endings were way darker. After a stalker is caught and we find out he will serve next to no time, he reveals he knows where Olivia's mother lives and he knows all about Elliot's family. And then we cut to black. What the hell? What happened with that guy? What ever happened to Jeffries? Yes, I do remember that she got transferred and why, but Cassidy pops up every now and then. Why not Jeffries? Cassidy sucked. Like we do see some human moments with him, but ugh he was so gross to Olivia. What ever happened to Elliot's daughter Elizabeth? Early on Maureen gets some plot lines, later Kathleen and Dickie do, but I don't think Elizabeth gets a single one. Why does she even exist? Where did she go? I miss Ice-T. He's a very good addition to ...

Okay so The Sims  is definitely my favorite game and I'm finally not too overwhelmed by Sims 4  to play. But now that I've gotten used to the base game, I need some expansions. Supernatural. Yeah I know there is a vampires one, but where are my witches? My werewolves? My fairies? My zombies? My mummies? I need more options. Cryptids. I want to be able to discover/make Sim Bigfoot, Sim Chupacabra, and more! Hair salon. There has to be a way to let me select from a set of bangs, textures, and cuts to make some more unique hairstyles than what exist right now. Scouting. It would be great if child and teen sims could join the scouts. This would include a ton of new skills for sims to build up as well as some more camping sites.  Underwater. I want some mermaids and reefs to explore. I loved the expansion that allowed me to do this in Sims 3  so I want it for 4. Reality show. What if there was a pack that either allowed you to enter your sim into a reality show wit...

Hey all, sorry while finals are going on I'm probably going to keep doing these short posts. Gotta save my energy for my final projects. I've finally gotten into RuPaul's Drag Race  so now I have ideas for challenges. Comic Con. I want this for Project Runway too. I just think it'd be awesome to see drag queens in outfits inspired by their favorite characters (or even if somehow they could go as Comic Con itself). Book Characters. As a book nerd, I'd like to see this challenge. Either queens could pick their favorite book character or they could be assigned ones. Reptiles. Now they looks that had to match dogs, but why not ones that match reptiles? Imagine someone trying to match a chameleon. Chameleon. Yes I did just get this idea from the last one. What if the queens had to have a look that changed into another one. It's honestly one of my favorite things when the queens have a look that can change into another. Queens. What if the show came up with a s...

Hey all, no spoilers! I'm watching tonight and already the internet has told me some. Here are just some thoughts about the final season. Is Winds of Winter  ever going to be done? Like could it magically just coincide with the end of this season? I feel like as soon as it's done I'll need more Game of Thrones . I still want Lyanna Mormont to sit on the iron throne. I know she won't, but she's my favorite and I think she'd kick ass. She could rule via bear back and get everyone in line. Dany is probably pregnant. You don't give 100% true information via prophecy. If she was never going to have kids, the witch would've just said that and not given some crazy caveats. Cersei is not pregnant. She was told she'd have three kids and they're all gone now. I really think she just said it to try and win the loyalty of Jaime and Tyrion.  If somehow Cersei is pregnant, the pregnancy or birth will kill her. It could be that this is how the younger si...

Hey all, still a bit low energy, but ever since we had Brenda Romero come talk to us, I've been wanting to do interactive fiction. So here is some brainstorming. Anxious oracle. I've started this as a traditional fiction piece, but I think it could be a cool game to actually be the anxious oracle. Get promoted. You start as a lowly office worker, but as you get promoted up the chain you realize you're working for a supervillain corporation. See if you can survive Dracula . This would be putting yourself in the situation of Johnathan Harker and see if you can manage to make it out better. Grocery shopping. Can you get everything you need and everything you want at the grocery store within the time you have. You may have to dodge your neighbor that you don't want to talk to, someone who wants to talk to you about the environment, and bad free samples. Camel Corpse. You are a soldier in the 1850s Southwest US and have been handed a creature you've never seen bef...

Hi all, sorry I just forgot to post yesterday (now that classes are over, days are very confusing). Here are 15 ideas for stories. Some are just lines and some are even smaller sparks, but here we go: I guess you could say I was a vigilante (to follow a one page bit that I have). A mystery where a cadaver dog signals behind a couch at a crime scene. This is used to pursue the boyfriend of the victim, who did kill her, but killed her in the bedroom. He is utterly baffled as to how the dog signaled there, but it turns out he'd had the carpet redone to get rid of evidence, but someone was killed in the carpet warehouse. Blood sniffing dogs signal by freezing in place. However, this isn't because of their training, it's because the spirit of the deceased is talking to them. 11 people in a van driving around in an empty apocalypse wasteland. Creepy dystopia inspired by "The Ants Go Marching." In a world where you have a one true nemesis, one person goes on a qu...

Hi all, I'm tired today and have been a bit down lately so I'm cheating a bit. Here are 15 self-care things that I need/want to do. Get a massage. I was sitting in a theater today and I got a bad pain in my back. Walking home today I got a bad pain in my lower back. I think a massage is much called for. Get a manicure/pedicure. This actually just something that makes me feel pretty. Take a bath. I can't do this right now because I don't have a tub, but boy do I want to. Get a new dress. If I could find a dress that makes me feel nice, that'd be great. Eat some strawberries. They're delicious but expensive, but I should treat myself. Get a face mask. So I don't know if these things actually do something to clear up my face, but I do find them relaxing. Light a scented candle. I have three right now so this shouldn't be hard. Go on a walk by the sea. This is a bit weather dependent though. Take pictures of my pop vinyl figurines. I've been a...

Okay so I'm going to continue Lauren's story. If you wanna read what I have so far, go here: http://fifteenminutesofscrawl.blogspot.com/2019/01/most-important-thing-on-her-desk.html If you want to read my previous brainstorm, go here: http://fifteenminutesofscrawl.blogspot.com/2019/04/lauren-brainstorm.html http://fifteenminutesofscrawl.blogspot.com/2019/04/lauren-brainstorm-part-2.html Other things about Lauren's office: I think there should be a secret panel that allows her to go to a panic room (having it shared by all other HR employees there could be hilarious) Should also be another secret panel that leads to a private bathroom (a promotion perk) and she should occasionally get confused between the two Fake painting that allows her to video conference her boss Has a window (upgrade from her previous office) Has a company equivalent of an Alexa Has a potted plant because the boss thinks it makes HR offices more friendly (Lauren does not like her plant and...

Okay so I'm going to continue Lauren's story. If you wanna read what I have so far, go here: http://fifteenminutesofscrawl.blogspot.com/2019/01/most-important-thing-on-her-desk.html If you want to read my previous brainstorm, go here: http://fifteenminutesofscrawl.blogspot.com/2019/04/lauren-brainstorm.html Lauren's boss: Overall vibe is a bit Hank Scorpio (please go watch The Simpsons  episode with him if you haven't, it's the best) He needs a ridiculous outfit though, still going to do the whole spandex thing (maybe this will be part of Lauren's job, has to be sure it's not inappropriate by HR standards) Things he could possibly want: amass power and have his own country and maybe, eventually the world; radical changes to our energy use; just a lot of money; institute a true meritocracy; isn't sure so he's just amassing power and wealth and will figure it out later (has vague corporate sounding mission statements when asked what his goal ...

Okay so I'm going to continue Lauren's story. If you wanna read what I have so far, go here: http://fifteenminutesofscrawl.blogspot.com/2019/01/most-important-thing-on-her-desk.html Here are some ideas of where her story could go: Evil company retreat complete with team building exercises Someone filing an HR complaint successfully (maybe sexual harassment because even the supervillain thinks that's too vile) Someone filing an HR complaint unsuccessfully (wants more knick knack allowances for her desk) Bring your daughter to work day (but she brings her niece) The story of her promotion (people ahead of her were put in cells and one was killed in a superhero's storming of the complex) Bring a pet to work day which causes many HR complaints HR policy meetings (maybe about how much to spend on staff birthdays and other parties) that maybe lead to some jailings and/or injuries A superhero rushes in to save her and she casually dispatches him to the cells below...

"Your honor, I plead not guilty." "That's ludicrous!" shouted someone from the crowd in the courtroom. "There is literally a video of him murdering Samuel Blackwood!" That was true enough, I thought, but before I could reply my lawyer stepped in. "Your honor, please ask that the crowd in the courtroom be quiet, my client is allowed to plead as he wishes." The gavel banged loudly three times, "Order in my courtroom or be escorted out. I will hear the prosecution on bail." "We request remand, your honor. We have security camera footage as well as various cell phone videos that show the defendant murdering Samuel Blackwood." "Your honor, my client was under the impression at the time that Samuel Blackwood was his one true nemesis and thus thought his actions were not only justified, but sanctioned by law." "He was wearing an alligator skin fedora!" I burst out, "How was I not supposed to t...

Okay so this post is going to be part brainstorm, part random thought that I had, but we'll see how it goes. So I watch Buzzfeed Unsolved  and love it dearly. But it, like many supernatural hunting shows, seems to only investigate at night. Now Buzzfeed Unsolved  could just be doing it because it's become what is expected of the genre, but we have to think about why this is the norm. It could be because we find night scarier as we literally can't get a sense of our surroundings and so our brain can fill them in with whatever we fear. It could be traditions of telling stories around campfires and those tend to be at night. I'm sure psychologists and anthropologists have some more complex theories though. For whatever reason, it also seems that most ghost sightings happen at night. Now as a non-believer I'm inclined to say this is because it's easier for your brain to trick you into seeing something when there isn't a clear light source. Regardless, ghost ...

Hey All, Sorry it was another long day, so here's another easy post. Here are things you should check out in and around Galway. Get a cone at Murphy's Ice Cream. Okay this was my first time there today and I really can't recommend enough. Try all the flavors you want and then get a cone with two (this is the standard if you can believe it). Travel with Wild Atlantic Tours. My mom, my stepdad, and I went on two of these and they were great. We did a combined Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher tour which was only one (long) day, but it was incredible. We also did a great Connemara trip where we got to see a ton of stuff, but also had some time to explore. See the Cliffs of Moher from the sea. I had seen the cliffs before, but they're so much more majestic from the sea. Admittedly though, I still don't get the profundity of "From the sea you see the cliffs and from the cliffs you see the sea." Go to Connemara National Park. It's so worth a trip and ...

Hi all, sorry I missed yesterday. Here are some of the reasons. My mom and stepdad are visiting so I'm trying to spend as much time with them as I can. My day started earlier than normal. We spent most of the day on a tour of Connemara. We had a long day. That long day included about two hours of hiking in the national park. I had to many photos of the park that I wanted to post. I got to get a drink with my friend Megan. I had to do my taxes. I delayed in doing my taxes because I hate doing my taxes. My taxes took far longer than I wanted. Google Chrome decided it wanted to be done with me doing my taxes before I was done doing my taxes. I had to ask my mom, step-dad, and H&R experts for help with my taxes. I needed to destress after doing my taxes. The Wi-Fi at the apartment the three of us are staying at likes to stop working on my laptop at a certain point. I didn't realize I had forgotten until today. Sorry again! (Prompt by me)

Toby was glad that he had met Theo...whatever exactly Theo was. It was a bit hard to understand Theo through his gurgling speech, but Toby thought  what Theo promised was to ask the ocean and its inhabitants about the location of the pirate ship that they thought had taken Ava. However, Theo asked that in return Toby stay put in Neocante and, when he returned home, to try and get the kingdom to adjust their lore to be more accurate regarding the ocean. But how was he supposed to do that? How could he possibly get people to reform core beliefs? Would anyone even believe him? Lately Toby had gotten the sense that he was far from listened to. Ava had never really seemed pleased with his advice. Feeling utterly sorry for himself, Toby started to blubber and wiped some trickling snot onto his sleeve. "Watch where you're going there," came a voice. Toby wiped his goopy eyes and looked about himself. In his pity for himself, he had begun to wander aimlessly as Lucia had ha...

Because I am a vain and loveless man, my wife ignores my crying and goes about her morning. She makes herself a cup of coffee, but does not offer me a cup. Perhaps this is because she sees that I already have a cup, although it is not filled with coffee. I want her to think I have been crying into the cup in hopes of getting her to give me some unearned sympathy and care, but she's more clever than that. I shouldn't have married such a clever woman. If I had married a woman with no brains at all then my ruse would work. She would believe my empty words of love and care for me the way a man like me should be cared for. Her lack of wit wouldn't bother me either, for I am witty enough for two, or even three by my estimation. A dim bride would have been perfect for me, and I deserved a perfect bride. But my wife was no dim bride and thus she was an imperfect one. She was the sharpest woman I'd ever met and my mother liked her a great deal. She was strong and independent...

I've been thinking a lot about this prompt which is why I didn't do it right away. Now maybe that's cheating on the whole concept of my blog, but oh well, I make the rules anyways so I guess I get to decide when I break them. As many know, Hitler, at one point in his life, wanted to be an artist, but couldn't make it as one (I can't remember if he got rejected from art school or was kicked out to be honest). So it seems pretty logical to wonder, what would have happened if this part of his life was different? The answer that in many ways in the most pleasant to say is that the horrific atrocities that he spearheaded would not have happened. There would be no concentration camps, no gas chambers, no yellow stars. Millions would have lived to have families and pass on their religion and culture. And then, on a smaller scale, perhaps paintings of Hitler's would hang in art museums and be discussed by art critics. While this wouldn't end all of the world...